A former mayoral candidate in Connecticut has pleaded guilty to charges related to the January 6 incident. Attack on the US CapitolFriday, according to a court filing.
Republican Gino DiGiovanni Jr., who ran unsuccessfully for the post of mayor of Derby last year. arrived before plea agreement with prosecutors on criminal charges. He officially admitted his guilt when he signed and submitted a document admitting his wrongdoings.
DiGiovanni previously served as an alderman, an elected position.
As part of his guilty plea, DiGiovanni pleaded guilty to a charge of entering and remaining on a limited basis.
“Specifically, the defendant admits that he knowingly entered and remained in a prohibited building, namely, the United States Capitol Building, without lawful authority,” according to DiGiovanni’s verified criminal complaint.
DiGiovanni’s attorney, Martin Minnella, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night, but previously told NBC News he expected his client to receive a fine and probation. typical sentence For defendants who pleaded guilty on January 6th, show remorse and have no significant criminal history.
“Gino was just there to give his opinion. He wasn’t hurt at all,” Minnella told NBC News in December. “It’s a violation, it’s bad behavior.”
DiGiovanni will be sentenced in April.
A Justice Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening.
DiGiovanni admitted NBC Connecticut Correspondent In October 2022, he announced that he was at the Capitol on January 6 after a reporter confronted the then-top official with pictures of him on the day of the riots.
“Yeah, I was there,” DiGiovanni told NBC Connecticut. “And obviously, you have the pictures to prove it. … I was there, I went in and you know, I didn’t damage anything, I didn’t break anything.”
According to the Department of Justice, more than 1,265 defendants were arrested on January 6. DiGiovanni is now one of more than 700 defendants who have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the riot.
Ryan J. Reilly contributed.